Councilor Bernie Al-ag disclosed last week that the digitalization of business permit transactions and applications of the city government of Davao is hampered by what he calls “technical glitches.”
In an interview, the chair of the Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Industry of the City Council, said only one percent of the business permit applicants took advantage of the city government of Davao’s online business permit application.
“Nangutana ko ngano man? Daghan glitches, usahay mag crash ang site, dugay mu upload, so we want to learn from other local government na nakauna sa ato,” Al-ag said.
Al-ag said that people from Marilog still have to travel a few hours to get a permit.
“Kabalo ba mo ang mga taga Marilog ug Paquibato has to go here sa downtown to apply for a business permit. Kung naa lang gamay na sari sari store muanhi paka diri mao na ang mahitabo ang uban dili nalang mu- apply ug business permit but the city government, it is our desire na ma acknowledge nato ni sila by giving them permit,” he said.
On Thursday, Al-ag together with Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre, vice chair of the Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Industry, along with Councilor Bonz Andrei Militar, chairperson of the Committee on information technology, and department heads of the city government of Davao, visited Valenzuela City to benchmark its digitalization processes.
“Because we want to learn from them and dili ta gusto na mag start ta sa zero. Gusto nato to learn from their experience because ang atoang digitalization karon daghan pa ug glitches,” Al-ag said.
Alejandre shared online that the transactions of business permit renewal in Valenzuela City through online are fast and convenient.
“Busa dili na kinahanglan nga maglinya pa sa opisina. Ang nakanindot, ang hard copy sa imong permits i-mail o ipadala na sa imong delivery address. Online na sad ang transaksyon sa pagproseso sa City Assessor’s Office ug sa mga Civil Registry documents. Daghan mi og nakat-onan sa sistema sa Valenzuela city ug kini ang tun-an natu sa konseho ug sa City Government of Davao aron mapatuman sad natu sa dakbayan,” Alejandre posted.
Al-ag said with an improved digitalization procedure, the city is expecting to issue more than 50,000 business permits after 2023 from the targeted 50,000 permits this year. Last year, the city has issued 45,000 permits.
“Siguro after 2023 ug atoang ma-digital we are expecting more than 50,000 kay sayon naman ang process,” he said.
He also said with digitalization the city is looking at a more than 20 percent increase in taxes.
“Right now, our revenue sa city government, our projected revenue for this year is P5.5 billion sa atoang local source that is from the business tax and real property tax and other collection from the economic enterprise. I think kung mag digital ta dili na kinahanglan mupila ang mga tao diri, dili na kinahanglan daghan ug proseso kay gi simplify nato from the comfort of their office na makabayad na sila ug makakuha sila ug permit. I am looking at a more than 20 percent na increase sa atoang taxes,” he said.
